Relief-valve.



E. F. GEBHARDT.

, RE1IE F VALVE. APPLICATION FlLEjD'lUNE 12. 1913.

1,138,551. Patented' May4 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS C0,. PHoTc-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. D c

EDMUND F. GEBI-IARDT, OF EASTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

' RELIEF-VALVE.

Application filed June 12, 1913.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDMUND F. GEBHARDT, acitizen of the United States, residing at Easton, in the county ofNorthampton and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Relief-Valves, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in relief valves, proposing astructure which is especially applicable to hot water heating systems,wherein the relief valves are interposed between the expansion tank anda pipe leading from the boiler and serve to regulate the pressure in thesystem without regard to the elevation of the tank.

Valve constructions of the type stated usually include two valve bodies,one of which (for convenience, herein designated as the main valve)controls the passage through which the water flows from the system tothe expansion tank, and the other of which, (for convenience, hereindesignated as the return valve) controlsthe passage through which thewater returns from the expansion tank into the system.

The present invention is essentially directed to the organization of themain or relief valve proper and its principal object is to provide arelief valve, as described, wherein the parts are so organized that themain valve cannot become stuck upon its seat, and hence, cannot fail toopen when the pressure in the system exceeds that determined upon as themaximum, yet is effectively closed during all normal ranges of thepressure in the system.

A further object of the invention is to provide an organization which,while having the advantage stated in the preceding sentence, is, at thesame time, of'simple, inexpensive, and practical character, embodies noparts which are liable to breakage, derangement, or undue wear, and isreadily accessible for the purposes of cleaning,renewal, or repair,whenever the occasion may require.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, wherein the figure is a vertical central sectional view of theimproved valve.

The valve comprises a casing 1 which is connected, on the one hand, tothe system by a pipe 2, and on the other hand, to the expansion tank 3by a pipe 4. Within the easing a pipe 5 is provided, which directlycommunicates with the pipe 2, forming, in effect,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Serial No. 773,289.

an extension thereof, and has at its upper end an annular valve seat 6,which functlons as an outlet into the interior of the casing 1 and isnormally closed by a main valve 7. When the pressure in the systemexceeds the maximum degree determined upon, the water forces the valve 7from its seat, and then passes into the interior of the casing 1 andthrough the pipe 4 into the expansion tank 3. When the pressure in thesystem falls below the maximum degree determined upon, the water flowsfrom the expansion tank into the interior of the casing, and through thereturn valve 8 into the pipe 5, and through this back into the system.The flow of water from the system into the expansion tank is indicatedby the arrows in full lines, and the return of water from the expansiontank into the system is indicated by the arrows drawn in dotted lines.

' The valve 8 works with relation to a seat 9, and the valve seats 6 and9 are conven-- lently formed as parts of a. casing or enlargement 10,provided at the upper end of the pipe 5. p The valve 7 is normally heldclosed by 'a weight 11, preferably in the form of a ball, and restingupon a concave upper surface 12 of said valve. The relation between theweight 11 and the valve and the casing is such that no special guidemeans for said weight, during the opening and closing movements of thevalve 7 is required. It will be observed that there is a substantialspace intervening between the weight and the surrounding wall of thecasing 1, yet the weight is always accurately centered with relation tothe valve 7, and cannot possibly become displaced or disen gaged fromsaid valve. relation between the casing 1 and the weight 11 which is soselected that while said weight normally has no contact with saidcasing, yet it cannot become disengaged from the valve because should itmomentarily move to one side of the valve during the movement of thelatter, said weight cannot move in any direction beyond or as far as thecenter of the valve'but will strike against the casing and ultimatelyreturn to its seat upon said valve. The valve 7, in turn, is accuratelyand positively centered with relation to its seat, and for this purpose,it is preferable to make said seat 6 in the form of a flange having theoutline of a truncated cone, the upper edge face of said flange engagingThis is due to the securely against the under face 13 of the valve 7,and the latter being provided with an annular extension 14: which proects downwardly beyond the face 13 and has its 7 lower end fashioned asat 15 to seat upon the flat upper wall of the casing or enlargement 10.It will thus be apparent that the construction of valve and valve seatdescribed provides for at least two pairs of coacting valve surfaces,one of which con-, sists of the valve surface 13, and the upper edge ofthe seat 6, and the other of which consists of the valve surface 15, andthe top wall of the casing or enlargement 10. The relation of thecooperating valve faces not only insures of the accurate and positivecentering of the valve 7 with relation to its seat, as described, but italso insures of a particularly reliable closure of the valve 7 since, inthe event that there should be wear between the face 13 and the seat '6,the valve 7 will still effectually close the outlet from the casing orenlargement 10, by virtue of the engagement of the valve face 15 uponthe top wall of said casing or enlargement.

The casing 1 is preferably made in upper and lower sections 1 and 1",and the lower section 1 is connected to the pipes 2 and 1, while theupper section 1, which incloses the operating part of the valve, has itslower end threaded for engagement with corresponding threads at theupper end of the section 1 The section 1 has at its upper end aprojection 1 for engagement by a Wrench when it is desired to remove thesection 1 from the section 1 When such removal has been accomplished,the parts of the valve are readily accessible, as is obvious.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the valve hereindescribed is of extremely simple structural character,

' and embodies no parts which areliable to derangement. The weight 11effectually holds the valve 7 in closed relation, and the efiectivenessof the closure afforded by the valve 7 is determined by the manner inwhich said valve is positively centered with relation to its seat, andalso by the provision of at least two pairs of coacting valve faces,whereby should one pair of valve faces become somewhat worn, the otherfaces will give good service. While the weight 11 is particularlyeffective in maintaining the closed relation of the valve 7, theorganization of said weight with relation to said valve and the casingis such that the valve is reliably responsive to an increase in thepressure in the system beyond the degree determined upon as a maximum,since there is no liability of the valve being stuck to its seat, andsince the valve 7 and the weight 11 cannot possibly be subject todeposits of foreign matter suspended in the water, and cannot beaffected by any deposits that may be precipitated upon the walls of thecasings 1 or 10.

Having fully described my invention, I claim:

1. A relief valve organization comprising a casing having separate inletand outlet connections, a pipe within said casing forming a continuationof the inlet connection and having at its upper end a valve seat whichfunctions as an outlet into said casing, a main valve normally closingthe outlet at the upper end of said pipe and being positively centeredwith relation to said seat, the main valve having a concave upper face,and a spherical weight resting upon the main valve and conformablyseating upon said concave upper face, the width of the casing being soselected that the weight has normally no contact with the casing anddisplacement of said weight in any lateral direction as far as thecenter of said valve is prevented by thewall of the casing whichsurrounds said weight.

2. A relief valve organization comprising a casing having separate inletand outlet connections, a pipe within said casing forming a continuationof the inlet connection and having at its upper end a valve seat whichfunctions as an outlet into said casing, a main valve normally closingthe outlet at the upper end of said pipe and being positively centeredwith relation to said seat, and a spherical weight resting upon the mainvalve, the width of the casing being so selected that the weight hasnormally no contact with the casing and displacement of said weight inany lateral direction as far as the center of said valve is prevented bythe wall of the casing which surrounds the said weight. I

3. A relief valve organization comprising a casing having separate inletand outlet connections, a pipe within said casing forming a continuationof the inlet connection and having at its upper end a valve seat whichfunctions as an outlet into said casing, a main valve normally closingthe outlet at the upper end of said pipe and being positively centeredwith relation to said seat, and a spherical weight resting upon the mainvalve, the width of the casing being so selected that the weight hasnormally no contact with the casing and displacement of said weight inany lateral direction as far as the center of said valve is prevented bythe wall of the casing which surrounds said weight, said valve seatconsisting of a flange formed asatruncated cone and the said valveengaging said flange with its under face and having an extensionsurrounding the flange and adapted to engage upon the upper face of saidpipe.

4. A relief valve organization comprising a casing having separate inletand outlet connections, a pipe within said'casing form ing acontinuation of the inlet connection and having at its upper end a valveseat which functions as an outlet into said casing, a main valvenormally closing the outlet at the upper end of said pipe and beingpositively centered with relation to said seat, the main valve having aconcave upper face, and a spherical weight resting upon the main valveand conformably seating upon said concave upper face, the width of thecasing being so selected that the weight has normally no contact withthe casing and displacement of said Weight in any lateral direction asfar as the center of said valve is prevented by the wall of the casingwhich surrounds said weight, said valve seat consisting of a flangeformed as a truncated cone and the said valve engaging said flange withits under face and having an extension surrounding the flange andadapted to en gage upon the upper face of said pipe.

5. A relief valve organization comprising a casing having separate inletand outlet connections, a pipe within said casing formthe casing beingso selected that the weight has normally no contact with the casing andthe displacement of said weight in any lateral direction as far as thecenter of said valve is prevented by the wall of the casing whichsurrounds said weight.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

EDMUND F. GEBHARDT.

Witnesses:

W, A. KEMMERER, P. W. HAY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner 015 Patents,

Washington, D. C.

